Tubular body flanging method and means



Dec. 16, 1969 E, H, FlNK 3,483,722

TUBULAR BODY FLANGING METHOD AND MEANS.

EDWIN HAROLD FINK WM fw@ Dec. 16, 1969 E. H. FlNK TUBULAR BODY FLANGING METHOD AND MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1966 N .gk

INVENTOR. EDWIN HAROLD FINK fw@ ZW m6 95 94 INVEN o 70/ EDWIN HAROLD Fl Dec. 16, 1969 E. H. PINK 3,483,722

TUBULAR BODY FLANGING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Sept. 9, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 nited States Patent O 3,483,722 TUBULAR BODY FLANGIING METHGD AND MEANS Edwin Haroid Fink, Lynbrook, NX., assignor to A .merican Can Company, New York, NX., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 578,305 Int. Cl. B21b 1/00 US. Cl. 72--94 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLUSURE Can bodies are provided with anges which extend acutely at wide angles from the sides of the bodies over the circumferences thereof. Each can body is anged by rotating it against a rotating roll which does not move axially with respect to the body while the end of the body is progressively bent about the rotating roll.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for flanging the ends of a tubular body, such as a can body. More particularly, the present invention teaches a method and discloses means whereby a tubular body can be provided with a ange which extends acutely at a Wide angle from the sides of the body.

It is often desirable that a tubular body be provided with a flange which extends almost perpendicularly from the sides of the body. In many situations it is also desirable that the ange be flat and that it extend from the side of the body acutely. An example is found in the can making industry where metal or tibre can bodies are flanged at their ends prior to being provided with end panels. The tiange and the marginal edge portion of the end panel are interfolded into an end seam which joins the end panel to the can body. Superior seams are possible when the flange on the can body is flat and extends acutely at a wide angle from the can body.

In the past, considerable ditlculty has been encountered in providing can bodies with flat flanges which extend at wide angles to the can body in a high speed flanging operation. The area of the can body adjacent to the end seam has often been crumpled or otherwise marred. This is probably due to the exertion of a compression force and/or the distribution of a flexural strain over the area of the can body adjacent to the end.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means which make possible the formation of a flange on the end of a tubular body, which flange extends at a wide angle from the side of said body.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method and means of making a tubular body with a flange extending acutely from the sides of said body.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide high speed apparatus to carry out the above objects which apparatus can be made by modifying existing conventional equipment.

Other objects will become apparent when the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying claims and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view in section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view showing cooperating elements of the present invention which form a flange on a tubular body.

Taking the drawings in greater detail, there is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 a rotary anging apparatus having a frame 10 which has upwardly extending supports 12. Journalled in the supports 12, is a shaft 14 which is turned by a source of power which is not shown. The shaft 14 supports a turret which in the preferred form includes three turret members. A center turret member 16 is secured to the shaft by a key 17 to rotate with the shaft about the axis thereof. The turret member 16 has a plurality of projections 18 which form pockets 20. The pockets 20 engage the sides of the can bodies as they are led by the turret through the anging operation described in detail infra- A side turret member 21 is secured to the shaft by the key 22 and a side turret member 24 is secured to the shaft by a key 26 so that both of the turret members 21 and 24 rotate with the shaft 14 and the turret member 16.

The turret member 21 contains a plurality of bores 30. Each bore has an inwardly extending spline 32 which is engaged within the groove 34 of a flanging head spindle 36 which passes through the bore. integrally connected to the anging head spindles 36 are yokes 38 each of which hold a pin 4t) upon which are rotatably mounted cam rolls 42 and 44. Each of the cam rolls 42 and 44 engages the cam 46 at the cam surfaces 48 and 50 respectively. The cam 46 is secured to the support 12 as shown and is generally annular in shape. It encircles the shaft 14 so that as the shaft 14, turret member 21 and spindles 36 rotate, the cam rolls 42 and 44 will be in constant contact with the cam surfaces 48 and 50.

The cam 46 is designed so that as the turret rotates, each of the flanging head spindles 36 will he reciprocated along its longitudinal axis so as to make one reciprocation for each rotation of the turret. Each spindle 36 is prevented from rotating about its axis because of the engagement of one of the splines 32 in the groove 34 of each spindle.

On the end of each flanging head spindle 36 which is opposite from the ends which are connected to the yokes 38 is a free-wheeling flanging head S2 having a stop ring 54 with its associated stop 55 and a pilot S6. The free-Wheeling heads 52 are free to rotate about their longitudinal axes because they are rotatably connected to the end of the flanging head spindles 36. The reason for the freewheeling feature will be explained presently.

Turning now to the side turret member 24, it has a plurality of bores 60 each of which has a anging head spindle 62 engaged therein. Each of the Hanging head spindles "62 is rotatably connected through a bearing 64 to a yoke 66 so that the spindles 62 are free to rotate about their axes and independently of their yokes. Each yoke 66 holds a pin `68 upon which is rotatably mounted cam rolls 70 and 72 which engage a cam 74 at the cam surfaces 76 and 7S. The cam 74, as cam 46, is generally annular in design and encircles the shaft 14 so as to always engage the cam rolls 70 and 72. The cam 74 is secured to the support 12 as shown.

A sheave 80 is mounted on each of the anging head spindles 62 and is held axially immovable by the bearing surface 81 which is positioned within a well in the turret member 24 as shown. In each spindle 62 is a longitudinal slot 82 in which rides a spline 84 which is secured to a sheave 80 by a set screw 86. The sheaves 80 are driven by a V belt 88 and the sheaves, through the splines 84 rotate the spindles 62 about their axes. The spindles 62, then, rotate with the turret about the axis of the Shaft 14 and also about their own axes. Each spindle 62 rotates free of the yoke 66 because of bearings 64. Fork are secured to the turret member 24 and are in sliding contact with the yokes 66 to prevent them from rotating with the spindles 62 because of any drag friction in the bearings 64.

It will be appreciated that as the turret turns, the spindles 62 while being rotated about their longitudinal axes by the sheaves 80 are also reciprocated longitudinally cam 74 on the cam rolls 70 and 72. The cam is designed so that each spindle makes one reciprocation for each rotation of the turret. This longitudinal reciprocation is not impeded by the sheaves 80 because the splines 84 ride longitudinally in the slots 82.

On the ends of the spindles 62 opposite to the ends upon which the yokes 66 are mounted, are the Hanging heads 92. The Hanging heads 92 are not free-wheeling, that is, they turn with the Hanging head spindles 62. Each Hanging head 92 has a stop ring 94 and as shown in the broken away portion of Figure 2, each stop ring 94 has a stop 95. The Hanging heads 92 each have a pilot 96.

Rotatably mounted on the center turret member 16 are a plurality of Hanging rolls. As can be seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the preferred form of the present apparatus employs four Hanging rolls for each spindle although only two can be seen in FIGURE 2. They are the Hanging rolls 100 and 101 which are rotatably secured by the bolts 102 and 103 to the center turret member 16. In FIGURE 3 the Hanging roll 108 is visible and, in FIG- URE 1, roll 109 is shown. FIGURE 3 also shows one each of the rolls 100 and 108 broken away to show that the bolts 102 are retained in elongated slots in the turret member 16 so that the Hanging rolls 100 and 108 may be adjusted with respect to the Hanging head to accommodate materials of diHerent thicknesses. The Hanging rolls 101 and 109 are secured in a like manner so as to be similarly adjustable.

Returning now to FIGURE l, it is seen that the V belt 88, as the turret rotates, is always in engagement with several of the sheaves 80. The V belt 88 rides over pulley 110 which is rotatably mounted by the axle 112 to the bracket 113 which is secured to the frame 10. The V belt also passes over the pulley 114 which is rotatably mounted by the axle 116 to the bracket 117 which is secured to the frame 10.

Because of the rotation of the turret, the V belt 88 is not at all times engaged by the same number of sheaves 80 and consequently in order to keep the belt in fairly constant tension there is provided an idler pulley 120 which is pivotally mounted by the axle 122 to the belt tension take up bracket 124. The belt tension take up bracket 124 is pivotally connected at 126 to the plate 128 which is secured to the frame 10. The coil spring 130 is coiled about the bolt 132 to urge the belt tension take up bracket 124 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 1. This arrangement keeps the V belt 88 in constant tension and in constant engagement with the sheaves 80 by preventing an intermittent excessive slack due to the successive engagement and disengagement of the V belt 88 with the sheaves 80. As is shown in FIGURE 1, the pulley 110 is turned by a belt 140 which engages a pulley which is secured to the axle 112. The belt 140 is driven by a motor 142.

Because of the rotation of the turret, the V belt 88 is not at all times engaged by the same number of sheaves 80 and consequently in order to keep the belt in fairly constant tension there is provided an idler pulley 120 which is pivotally mounted by the axle 122 to the belt tension take up barcket 124. The belt tension take up bracket 124 is pivotally connected at 126 to the plate 128 which is secured to the frame 10. The coil spring 130 is coiled about the bolt 132 to urge thel belt tension take up bracket 124 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE l. This arrange keeps the V belt 88 in Also shown in FIGURE 1 is a feed guide 145 which leads the tubular bodies to the rotating turret and the discharge guides 148 after completion of the Hanging operation which is now to be described.

OPERATION Tubular bodies such as can bodies C are led down the feed guide 145 and picked up one at a time by the rotating turret which turns about the shaft 14 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. Each can body is engaged upon one of the pockets 20 of the turret and also by a set of the Hange rolls 100, 101, 108 and 109 as it is received on the turret. Considering just one of the can bodies engaged on the turret, continued rotation of the turret causes the spindles 36 and 62 which are on each side of the can body to move towards each other to engage the ends of the body because of the action of the cams 46 and 74. Upon further rotation of the turret, as the sheave on said spindle 62 is put into engagement with the belt 88 and the spindle 62 is caused to rotate around its own axis, the can body also rotates about its axis and the engaging Hanging head 52 freewheels about the spindle 36. As the can body rotates, the Hanging rolls and 101 spin about the bolts 102 and 103 and the Hanging rolls 108 and 109 also rotate. As the Hanging heads continue to move toward each other, the ends of the can body are bent about the Hanging rolls as illustrated in FIGURE 4. There we see one of the Hanging rolls 101 engaging the tubular body upon its peripheral surface 104, the Hanging head 92 has completed its movement to the left so that the end of the tubular body has been bent about the edge of the Hanging roll 101 by the stop ring 94 until the edge of the Hange engages the stop 95, The Hanging roll edge 105 provides a fulcrum so that the ange is sharply bent at a wide angle to the sides of the can body. It is to be understood that the Hanging head 52 and its associated Hanging rolls perform a similar Hanging operation on the other end of the can body C. Upon further rotation of the turret, the Hanging heads 52 and 92 move further apart to release the can body engaged between them. In FIGURE 1 it is seen that as each body has been Hanged, it is delivered to the discharge track 146 and then to the discharge guide 148.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description teaches merely one preferred form of the present inven tion and that numerous alterations, substitutions, de1etions and additions can be made to it without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of Hanging a tubular body comprising the steps of;

engaging the side of said body with a rotatable Hanging roll at a location adjacent to, but spaced from the end of said body;

rotating the body about its longitudinal axis to cause said roll to rotate in rolling contact with said body; and

forcing a Hanging head into the end of said can body to progressively bend the end of said body about said rotating roll while preventing any axial movement of the body with respect to said roll to form a Hange extending from the body acutely over its entire circumference.

2. Apparatus for Hanging an end of a tubular body comprising a Hanging head, means to advance Hanging head axialy into said end of said body,

means to rotate said head,

means to rotate said body,

a Hanging roll adjacent to said head adapted to engage said body on the exterior sides thereof in rolling contact therewith, and

means to prevent said body from axial movement with respect to said Hanging roll when said Hanging head is advancing so that said end of said body is progressively bent about said roll to form a ange extending from the body acutely over its entire circumference.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said means which prevent said body from moving axially with respect to said roll is another Hanging head which en. gages the other end of said body to forni a Hange on said other end and wherein another flanging roll is rotatably mounted adjacent to said other hanging head.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein each of said anging rolls has a relatively abrupt edge over which said flange is progressively bent.

5. apparatus for Hanging can bodies comprising;

a turret;

means to rotate said turret;

said turret having a plurality of anging heads arranged in pairs of mutually facing hanging heads having coincident axes;

means to move one head in each pair toward and then away from the other head in that pair over each r0- tation of said turret, and engage a can body in each of said pairs of heads so that said heads enter said body to ange one of the ends thereof;

means to rotate said heads;

and hanging rolls rotatably mounted on said turret, of

each of said rolls being adjacent to one of said heads of each of the said pairs to engage at the periphery of each oi said rolls one of said can bodies at the side of said can body, said rolls being axially immovable with respect to said bodies as said moving heads ange said bodies.

6, The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein one of said anging heads in each of said pairs is power driven to rotate with respect to said turret and the other flanging head in each of said pairs is mounted to free-wheel when one of said -can bodies is engaged between said flanging heads.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said end of said body is bent about an edge of said roll.

8. The apparatus dened in claim 5 further comprising other rolls each of which is mounted adjacent to one of said other heads, means to move each of said other heads of each pair toward each of said one head in each pair to ange the other of the ends of said can bodies, said other rolls being substantially axially immovable with respect to said bodies.

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,432,658 12/1947 Coyle 113-120 2,534,220 12/1950 Birkland 72-94 2,741,292 4/1956 Butters 72-94 3,260,089 7/1966 Hazelton et al 72-'354 RCHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner I Us. C1. X.R. 

